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  She drifted across the hall, peering through the crack in the door there.

  “But Will?” she whispered, the light from inside the room making her eyes sparkle. “He’s really good. He knows how to use just the right amount that you can feel it like his tongue is right between your legs instead. He touches every nerve.”

  I followed her, spying Will inside the room with a girl pinned to the wall. His mouth covered hers, her lids fluttering as his hand trailed all over the dark skin of her thigh before lifting it up and pressing himself deeper between her legs, their clothes the only thing between them now.

  I caught her little moan.

  “Gentle at first,” Alex goes on, watching him as though she’s narrating. “He savors and teases, and then goes in stronger and harder, and you’ve never been fucked so good and his dick’s not even inside you yet.”

  I could see his tongue moving in her mouth, not too deep, but then he licked her upper lip before quickly snatching up her bottom one between his teeth. Then he dove back in, capturing her lips again.

  My teeth tingled, and I clenched them, closing my eyes for a moment.

  “He does the work, you know?” Alex said, and I could hear her breathlessness. “No part of a woman’s body should be left un-kissed. Will truly makes the most of what he’s good at.”

  The beat of the music downstairs vibrated up through my legs, but I couldn’t hear it. All I could hear was her. The girl in the room, her gasps and moans, and not really wondering what he was doing, because I could already see it in my head.

  Part of me knew everything my brain told me was true. Men would hurt me, use me, and throw me away, blah, blah, blah.

  But no matter what my head said, I still couldn’t help the longing that always seeped in, more and more lately.

  I wanted to grow up.

  “I’d really like to do that to you right now,” a voice said in my ear, and I popped my eyes open, noticing Alex had come to stand at my back. “I’d like to strip you down and bury my tongue between your legs.”

  My eyes rounded, and I dropped the towels. Shit!

  “Alex.” A deep voice suddenly pierced the silence, and I froze.

  Alex stopped, too, and I felt her shift behind me.

  “Not that one,” Kai told her.

  “You took the threesome I wanted with Michael and Rika, and now her?” she retorted. “I’m beginning to think you’re my competition, Kai.”

  Threesome. I swallowed the lump in my throat. I’d known about it, but I didn’t need reminders of it.

  There was a silence, and then I finally saw Alex leave out of the corner of my eye, walking back down the hallway. I clenched my thighs, feeling the wetness between my legs as I turned around.

  Kai leaned against the opposite wall, staring at me with his arms crossed over his chest. But there was nothing cold in his eyes. They had me rooted.

  The sounds from the room where Will and the girl were started to get louder, and an unbidden image of Kai on top of me six years ago popped in my head.

  My breathing shook as my stomach flipped, and I felt dizzy. “I’m…I’m going to be sick.”

  “You’re not sick.” He remained on the wall, looking me up and down. “You’re turned on.”

  Heat rose to my cheeks, and I shook my head, trying to control my breathing.

  “Spread your thighs,” I heard Will order through the cracked door. “Open ’em up for me, baby.”

  Amusement touched Kai’s eyes as we both stayed rooted, our gazes locked.

  “Yeah,” the girl panted. “Hurry. I’m about to come.”

  “Oh, that’s so hot,” Will told her, adding, “Keep rubbing that pussy. Make it nice and wet.”

  My chest caved, and I immediately pictured her on the bed in there and what she was doing for him.

  “Mm- hmm,” she moaned, begging, “Come on, let’s do it.”

  “Turn over.”

  A cool sweat broke out all over my body, and I stared at Kai, letting my eyes fall down his body. Even under his clothes, I could tell how beautiful he was. I closed my eyes for a split second, trying to push away the need building between my legs. I wanted to be touched. I wanted these clothes off. I wanted his full attention on a bed somewhere. I didn’t care where. He felt so good, and I remembered. Everything was still so clear.

  The headboard in the room started hitting the wall and grunts and small cries drifted into the hallway.

  I trailed my eyes down Kai’s narrow waist and long legs, wishing for a moment that it was me in that room.

  Entertaining for a moment that I would ever let it happen.

  “Keep looking at me like that,” Kai spoke up, “and we’re going to have problems.”

  I turned my eyes away. I needed to get out of here.

  “Can I leave now?” I shot out.

  But he didn’t answer. Instead, he moved, dropping his arms and walking straight for me.

  “You know what I’ve thought about so many times over the years? More times than I care to admit?” he asked, planting a hand on the wall behind my head. “You and me in that tower, my hands on you, just feeling you. Remember that?”

  I said nothing, and he leaned in. “I liked having control of you,” he continued, his words coming out softly. Thoughtful. “It was different than it was with other girls. Control is an illusion. It usually only lasts a few minutes.” He raised his eyes, meeting mine. “But with you, I felt like I’d have control of you for good. It felt like I could hold everything you are in the palm of my hand. You had to do and say so little to make me want you.”

  I inched back, hitting the wall. What did he want from me? Did he get off on slumming or something? Not that I thought I was disgusting or ugly, but Jesus. I purposely dressed in clothes too big in order to deter attention, and Kai acted like he didn’t even see the clothes, the tangled hair, and the dirty fingernails.

  He acted like he did six years ago. Like I was just a girl.

  But not average, either. I was special. Wanted. Desired.

  He leaned into my ear, sending a flutter through my stomach as he whispered, “Take off your jacket and open your shirt for me.”

  The urge to push him away hit me, but I remained still, because I really wanted to do what he asked me. I wanted his hands again.

  I just shook my head instead.

  He reached up, pulling the hat off my head, and my hair came free, spilling out around me. He took a tendril of my hair, curling it around his fingers. The small sensation made my eyelids flutter.

  But then he shot up, grabbing a fistful of my hair at the back of my head, and I gasped, wincing at the pain.

  “Fair’s fair,” he growled low, forcing me to hold his eyes. “You watched me. You followed me. Counted how many times a day I showered. Did you watch that, too? Huh?”

  I clenched my teeth, the heat of his breath hitting my lips.

  “Did you watch me fuck?” His eyes fell to my mouth. “Open your shirt for me, little one. Let’s see if I like what I’m getting for my trouble.”

  His lips hovered over mine, and the longing in my body raged.

  “No,” I whispered and planted my hands on his chest. “You take off your shirt.”

  He paused, staring at me curiously as he held my head an inch from his. My skin was burning, and my clothes chafed. It was almost painful. I wanted them off. I wanted to feel him against my body.

  Reaching up, I touched his face, running my hand across his jaw and down behind his neck. Warm and smooth, but I wanted more.

  He watched me warily, his eyes briefly dropping to my mouth again as his own lips parted. But he didn’t stop me. His hold relaxed.

  I dragged my fingers down to his shirt and held his eyes as I started undoing the buttons, but my fingers were shaking so badly I grabbed the shirt in both hands and ripped it open, the buttons flying in both directions.

  He let out a heavy breath, sounding almost like a growl as he tightened his hold and lowered his forehead to mine.
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  But I pushed him away, sending him stumbling back. “Don’t touch me.” And I advanced on him, pushing him again until he slammed back into the opposite wall.

  A mix of shock and anger crossed his face, but I didn’t give him a chance to respond. I rushed up to him, taking his wrists in both of my hands and planting them against the wall at his sides as I shot up to my tip toes and buried my face in his neck.

  And I ran my lips over his skin.

  Slowly up and then down, over the bump of the vein in his neck and down the hot curve toward his collarbone.

  He shuddered.

  God, he was so smooth and warm, and a tingle hit my lips, spreading across my face and down my whole body. I opened my mouth, dragging my lips everywhere. Dipping under his chin to the other side, I explored him with my mouth, so tempted to kiss him. Just once. To sink my lips into his skin and taste what smelled so good. I ran my nose under his ear, inhaling his scent and then breathing out my warm breath. He melted into the wall, tipping his head back and closing his eyes, inviting me in further.

  He started to push against my grasp, wanting his hands free, but I squeezed as hard as I could, sending him a warning.

  Coming back to stand flat on my feet, I released his wrists. “Keep them there.”

  Pulling his shirt and jacket open wide, I moved my hands and mouth to his chest. My fingers scaled down his skin, humming at the feel of the ridges and dips and my mouth followed the path set by my hands. I circled his nipple with my middle finger and then followed it with my lips, my thighs clenching at the skin there and the hard nub.

  I closed my eyes. I didn’t want this to end. I wanted him to wrap his arms around me, locking me into his heat and intoxicating scent.

  But if I let him, that would be my first mistake.

  I raised my head, watching him watch me as his chest rose and fell with heavy breaths.

  “I’m not your little one.” I dropped my hands, backing up. “But you’re right about control. It’s an illusion. Look at yourself. You never had it.”

  I let a smirk slip and dipped down to pick up my hat.

  But the next thing I knew, Kai grabbed me and pulled me back into him. “And neither did you,” he whispered in my ear. “You only have as much control as I allow you to have.”

  “Oh, yeah, you win. Brawn over brains every time, right? But you forget one thing.” I turned my head, speaking to him. “I can say no whenever I want, and it ends. Unless you want to go to prison again.”

  He stilled, not saying anything.

  He knew I was right. Of course, he could say no, too, but it wasn’t likely.

  His breath fell on my hair, and he released my arms, lowering his head next to mine.

  “You’re right,” he said quietly. “You can say no anytime.” And he began running his lips across my neck just like I’d done to him. “Anytime you want.”

  My eyelids fluttered, and his hand took the side of my face, turning my head toward him. Our noses nudged, our lips a hair away from each other, so close I could taste him, and we weren’t kissing.

  I was throbbing between my legs, and I thought about that piece of crap house and that lone bed in the room upstairs, and how there was nowhere else I wanted to be right now.

  Who was really in control of whom? We were both fucked.

  His hand grazed over my stomach, going lower, and I grabbed hold of it just as he took hold of me between my thighs. I whimpered. “Oh, God.” I meant to pull him away, but it felt so good.

  Fuck. I couldn’t get air, and I gasped. These goddamn bindings.

  I couldn’t breathe.

  “Stop,” I cried, shoving his hands away. “Stop, stop, stop. I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe.”

  I sucked in air, resting my palm on the wall to support myself. Jesus. What the hell? My ribs and lungs ached, and I winced, desperate to get this shit off.

  I needed to get out of here.

  “Hey, Kai,” I heard a woman say.

  I turned my head to see two girls walking down the hallway, neither of whom I recognized. Not that I should know them.

  They glanced at me, their eyes dropping down my body and taking in my appearance. They turned their eyes away again, but I didn’t miss the look they shot each other as they passed me, barely waiting to make it into the bathroom before breaking out in quiet laughs.

  I looked down at the floor. “Can I get the hell out of here now?”

  Kai stared at me, his jacket and shirt partially open, revealing the olive skin of his chest. “Don’t worry about them. They’re just drunk.”

  I pulled my hat on, not bothering to stuff my hair back up into it. I couldn’t muster the patience. “Like you give a shit,” I spat out. “You wanted me to be uncomfortable. That’s why you had me come here, around these people, so you could remind me of my place.”

  “I didn’t—”

  “I don’t care about your bullshit.” I glared at him, familiar anger heating my blood now. “You think I’m not used to the way people like that look at me? Men thinking if they prettied me up they’d be doing me some kind of favor, and women laughing behind their hands. It’s been that way my whole life. I don’t give a shit what they see when they look at me. Your world is empty, and it can teach me nothing.”

  I’d let myself down. I’d gotten carried away with him. Again. But thankfully, it hadn’t gone too far. Blame it on stress or the attraction toward him I always felt, but I’d stopped it. I could at least feel good about that.

  I tilted my chin up. “I have Damon. He’s all I want.”

  Kai’s eyes thinned on me, and I could hear his slow but hard breathing from here. Yeah, think what you want, but it was true. My brother was the only man who wanted me strong. The only man who would never hurt me.

  I turned on my heel and walked back down the hallway, toward the stairs.

  Rounding the bannister, I quickly descended the steps, seeing Kai following me out of the corner of my eye. He trailed slowly, though, so I knew he wasn’t trying to catch me.

  In two minutes I’d be outside and away from here. Just go.

  But reaching the bottom, I looked up, seeing a scuffle starting in the middle of the living room. What the—?

  Lev stood with his hands locked behind his head, grinning at David and Michael standing toe to toe. Ilia stood back with his arms crossed over his black suit coat, while Rika, Will, and several bystanders stood near, watching what was boiling.

  “What’s happening?” Kai called behind me, brushing past me.

  The desk clerk from downstairs, still in his three-piece suit, turned and spoke up. “I’m sorry, sir,” he said, looking rattled. “Mr. Crist said anyone could come up, but they looked out of the ordinary, and when I called to check in, they just took the elevator. I’m sorry.”

  He looked between Michael and Kai, his eyes worried. I wasn’t sure why he was apologizing to Kai. It wasn’t his apartment.

  “It’s fine,” Michael assured him and then looked to my guys. “Who are you?”

  “They work for Gabriel,” I called out, pushing through the people. “David, what are you guys doing here?

  I saw them in Thunder Bay a couple hours ago when I was picking up the contract, but they were supposed to be in for the night. I wasn’t expecting them in the city this late.

  David turned his head, looking down at me. “Do you want to go home?”

  “I was just leaving.”

  But Kai stepped in, glancing at me. “Sit,” he told me.

  I steeled my jaw, glaring up at him. What?

  Hell, no. Screw him and this power trip. I’d had enough for one night.

  “You’re not prepared to start something with these guys,” I said, getting cocky.

  Real easy to do when I had back-up. Yeah, I was a little shit.

  But Kai spoke to David instead. “Gabriel agreed to this. She works for me now. Leave.”

  “Gabriel didn’t send us.” He stepped forward, approaching Kai. “And we leave on her
command. Not yours.”

  Kai turned to me, bowing his head to stare me down. “Go with him. I dare you.”

  My heart skipped a beat. How much he reminded me of Damon now.

  But the contract still wasn’t signed. Once it was, I could bolt, and it would be up to him if he wanted to chase me down. If I broke the agreement now, though, Gabriel would blame me.

  Kai lowered his voice, everyone around us hushed, but the music and partygoers in the rest of the place still went hard. “Who do you belong to?”

  “Kai,” someone scolded.

  “Quiet, Rika,” he bit out, still looking at me. “Who do you belong to?”

  I could feel eyes on me coming from everywhere, and I wanted to take out my pocket knife and sink it into his fucking gut. Goddamn him. Years and years of climbing over shit bags like him to just get a peek over the fence, and here he was, grabbing my ankles and yanking me back down into the pit. Everyone was going to know. Everyone was going to see me powerless here.

  I held his eyes, my own burning with hatred. I clenched my teeth so hard they started aching.

  Taking a step, I moved to his side and turned around, facing David, Lev, and Ilia.

  “To you,” I said barely above a whisper.

  And I’m going to kill you for this. A lump lodged in my throat, and I felt nauseous.

  “Now…” Kai said, sitting down in the black cushioned chair behind him. “You can take her home.”

  I didn’t wait for the guys to do anything. I shot off, pushing through all the people, the guys turning and following me as I passed. I felt a hand rest lightly on my back.

  “She knows how to walk,” Kai barked behind us. “Don’t touch her.”

  The hand, probably David’s, immediately left me.

  Swinging around the corner, we all charged into the elevator, and Ilia pushed the button. Once the doors closed, I was fucking done. I threw my fist into the wall over and over again, swinging my leg back and kicking it, growling at the top of my lungs. “Fuck!”

  I swung around, throwing my elbow back, everything in my right arm, from my knuckles to my shoulder, screaming with pain. I slammed the wall again and again, punching and kicking. “Ugh!” I threw another punch.